Gdansk -> Berlin -> Amsterdam (yes Amsterdam again!)
Back on the train we hopped. This time our Couchette could sleep 6 people rather than 4. It was just me and Dee until about 2am when a Polish girl came to sleep in our cabin. She didn’t sleep so much as drink vodka and send text messages.
Photo fun in the Couchette:
That was overnight from Gdansk to Berlin. We arrived in Berlin at 7:30am and found our Hostel easily. The Hostel was bright and welcoming (it’s called The Sunflower, go figure!) and they have washing machines that aren’t broken…much.
We did a bit of walking around Berlin. Not as much as I would have liked but we only had a day there. It’s definitely somewhere I want to go back to and check out the music scene properly and discover different areas of the city (it’s a huge city!). Our evening consisted of hanging out with Davina’s friend, Simon (pronounced ’seemen’ in German, no seriously it’s hilarious) drinking red wine, eating pizza and chatting.
Back to Amsterdam the next day. I ended up liking it and deciding that it was just the mood I was in at the time that made me dislike it.
Our first night back there of course consisted of the Ani Difranco concert. This left neither of us disappointed but completely and utterly fulfilled. There was a great vibe, a really nice crowd and a brilliant performer. It was a wonderful evening.
Thursday was the last day that Davina and I were together. She got on the train to Romania at 8 in the evening.
That night I was shown the three major gay bars in the town (all in a street I’d been in numerous times and hadn’t even realised it was the ‘gay’ area!) and also the ‘red light district’ which was fascinating to say the least. We were offered Coke at least 3 times (not the carbonated, caffeinated sugar water kind either). I was surprised to find out that the Red Light area is actually one of the safest area of the city (besides the pickpockets) because it’s under constant surveillance by the police and there are always Police officers patrolling (for leisure or work though, who can say!?)
My tour guide was a highly camp, extremely fabulous Maltese guy called Mark. He’s a lot of fun and really easy going and we got along well.
Friday: Mark had left so I was forced to spend the day with two gorgeous and very sweet Brazilian guys. Oh the trials and tribulations of travel! We visited the van Gogh museum (which was excellent and very interesting) and generally strolled around taking in the sights.
My favourite van Gogh painting:
Luis the Brazilian.
I left for France the next day. I’m really glad that I was able to see Amsterdam through happier eyes than the first time. I think my view of it would have been tainted for a long time if I hadn’t gone back.